Two men taken in custody in connection with a drive-by shooting in Reynolds Township last Friday morning could be facing up to 10 years in prison.

(L to R): Kody Rankin 23, of Howard City, and Jeramy Slagel, of Morley are charged with a drive-by shooting last Friday in Reynolds Township.

According to the Montcalm County Sheriff Department, the suspects were charged and arraigned in 64B District Court of Montcalm County on Friday, December 28.

Kody Gene Rankin, age 23, from Howard City, has been charged with three counts of discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle, one count of felonious assault, one count of felony firearm, and one count of possession of a controlled substance. All of the charges are felony charges with the maximum sentences ranging from two years to 10 years. Rankin is currently being held in the Montcalm County jail on a $500,000.00 bond.

Jeramy Clinton Slagel, age 23, from Morley, has been charged with one count of discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle, one count of discharging a firearm in or at a building, and felony firearm. All of the charges are felony charges with maximum sentences ranging from two years to ten years. Slagel is currently being held in the Montcalm County jail on a $250,000.00 bond.

According to police, they were dispatched at approximately 1:25 a.m. on Friday, December 28, 2018, to an address in the 18000 block of West Church Road in response to a report of shots fired at the home. The shots were reportedly fired from a passing vehicle.

The 37-year-old male homeowner was outdoors at the home during the shooting but was not injured. There were two other residents in the home that were also not injured. A house, a vehicle and an outbuilding were damaged as a result of the shooting.

While deputies were on scene, the suspect vehicle drove by. Deputies pursued the vehicle but were not able to apprehend the suspects.

At approximately 2:53 a.m., a domestic was reported in the 8000 block of North Federal Road. The possible suspect in the shooting had returned to his home on Federal Road and argued with his wife. As deputies arrived at the domestic scene, the suspect fled from the home running into the nearby woods.

Several Sheriff’s Office deputies and troopers with the Michigan State Police converged on the area to search for the suspect. With information that the suspect may be headed into Howard City, the search area was expanded. At approximately 5:11 a.m., Kody Gene Rankin was located near the intersection of Orton and Cherry Streets where he was taken into custody without incident. A search of a nearby home revealed a second suspect and evidence of the crime. The second suspect, Jeramy Clinton Slagel, a 23-year-old Morley man, was also taken into custody without incident.